Thirdhand smoke is a toxic residue that sticks to surfaces and objects. People come into contact with thirdhand smoke when their skin touches a surface where thirdhand smoke has collected, when they breathe in thirdhand smoke chemicals that are in the air, and when they swallow residue that are on objects that they put in their mouths. Indoor environments where tobacco has been smoked can contain thirdhand smoke that will linger indoors for a long time – months to years.
On this page, you will find scientific information and first-hand accounts about preventing or avoiding exposure to thirdhand smoke pollution in houses, apartments/condos, hotels, and more. You can find communication strategies for interacting with realtors, apartment managers, and hotel staff. You can also read about your right to avoid places with thirdhand smoke pollution.
Download our new Resource Guidelines: Multiunit Housing and Thirdhand Smoke
Featured Story

California High School Student Finds School Bathrooms are Polluted with Thirdhand Smoke Residue
Rosalia Park, a high school student from Los Angeles, California, recognized a problem with smoking and vaping in her school’s bathrooms. Working with the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center, she designed an experiment to test her school bathrooms for thirdhand smoke residue. Upon completion of her experiment, she went on to win numerous accolades at regional, state,